Museum of the history of Bremen's ports in the listed Speicher XI cotton warehouse in the Überseestadt district, with hands-on stations and harbor tours.
September 13, 2026 – February 14, 2027
Guest exhibition by the kek Kindermuseum (children's museum) with 15 hands-on stations designed by Bremen artists, all about the dot, for children ages four and up. Without registration Fri 15:00–18:00 and Sat/Sun 11:00–18:00, during the fall school holidays (October 12–24, 2026) also Tue–Fri 11:00–18:00; otherwise for registered groups.
The Hafenmuseum (harbor museum) opened on February 28, 2004, in Speicher XI, a cotton warehouse built between 1908 and 1912 in the former Überseehafen (overseas port). The roughly 400-meter-long building, protected as an industrial monument since 1994, is one of the few prewar structures in today's Überseestadt. Developer Klaus Hübotter saved it from demolition and had it converted from 2001 to 2003; today the museum shares the warehouse with the Hochschule für Künste (University of the Arts), the Bremer Zentrum für Baukultur, and creative-industry businesses.
Since its opening, the museum has been operated by the nonprofit Kulturforum GmbH, a subsidiary of the company Dr. Hübotter Wohnungsbau. The permanent exhibition spans some 120 years of Bremen's port history, from the creation of the free ports to the filling-in of the Überseehafen and its transformation into an urban neighborhood. The focus is on the people of the port, their trades and memories, along with goods, ships, and today's logistics industry. An alphabet of Bremen's harbor slang guides visitors through the rooms.
The museum sees itself above all as a place of learning: it offers tours in the museum and around the port area, programs for school classes and families, as well as talks and festivals, and it collects objects and documents relating to Bremen's ports. Since 2010 it has been a stop on the Route der Industriekultur im Nordwesten (industrial heritage route in northwestern Germany). On January 1, 2027, the Hübotter family will step back as operator; a friends' association founded in June 2026 is to support the museum in the future.
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4.50University students, people with severe disabilities, the unemployed, and recipients of social benefits |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Children and young people up to 18 get free admission to the permanent and special exhibitions (sponsored by Sparkasse Bremen). |
| Visitors with disabilities | €4.50Reduced admission for people with severe disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | €4.50Reduced admission for university students. |
| Groups | –Themed tour in the museum (60 min.) €60 plus admission, tour of the port (60 min.) €120 flat rate; no minimum group size, up to 100 people in four parallel groups. |
| Supporter ticket | €10 |
| Combination ticket Hafenmuseum + "Auf den Punkt!" (until February 14, 2027) | €9Reduced €7.50. |
The visitor page lists €6/€4.50 for the permanent and special exhibitions; according to the exhibition page, however, the kek Kindermuseum's guest exhibition "Auf den Punkt!" requires separate admission (€6/€4.50), and the combination ticket with the Hafenmuseum costs €9/€7.50.
Step-free entrance via the ramp at house number 4; museum staff will accompany visitors to the elevator to the exhibition rooms on the second floor. Wheelchair-accessible restroom. The group tour "Anpacken und Ahoi!" can be booked in Easy Language (Leichte Sprache).
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 18 |
|---|
Free children's audio guide at the ticket desk; bookable children's birthday parties and family tours, holiday program, and maritime family day.
Hochschule für Künste · 150 m
Tram 3 or 5 to Waller Ring (approx. 500 m walk); Bus 28 to Hochschule für Künste (approx. 150 m).
Free parking
Free parking directly in front of Speicher XI.
Restaurant PORT directly attached in Speicher XI. Museum shop with maritime items and harbor literature. Free coat-check lockers.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (DE) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for private purposes is allowed; please respect other visitors' privacy. |
| Good to know | Exhibition texts in German only; group tours through the permanent exhibition can also be booked in English. Public dates (e.g., tea tours, neighborhood tours) in the online calendar. Dogs not allowed, except guide dogs for the blind. |
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